Machine for topping beets.



E. U. WINCHESTER.

MACHINE FOR TOPPING BEETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1913.

Patentedflct. '7, 1913.

wmam

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Inventor Attorneys E. G. WINCHESTER.

MAGHINE'POR TOPPING BEETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1913.

1 74,827, Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3/ w mfinnventor by I /' I I V I a Attorneys ELLIS CI,- WINCHESTER, OF BIELINGS, MONTANA;

MACHINE ROB ,TOPIING BEETS.

Specification. of. Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 7,1913.

Application filed-Hardhfifi, 19135-7 SerialNo. 757,222.

To all whom/2'15 mag concern Be it known that I,- ELEiSG. Wn'eonnsrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at Billings, in the countyof Yellowstone and State of Montana, have invented a newand useful Machine for Topping Bee'tsyof which .the following is a specification.

This -inventionrelates-to 'mach-inesfor I topping beets,- one of its objects being to provide pneumatic means-for lifting the tops of the beets into position to be engaged by cutters whereby'the tops-are removed during the movement-of the beets-fromthe digger to the delivering elevator.-

A further object is to provide a suctionelement which not only serves-to set up-a current for the purpose of lifting t-he'tops into-position to be acted on by the 'c'utters-- but alsoacts-to discharge the severed tops from the machine.

A further object-is to provide improved means forconveyin-g the beets to the topping mechanism, said conveyor being-so constructed as to cause the-beetsto roll while being conveyed to and-while passing the cutters, thus-to insure the proper-positioning of allof the topsso that they: will be carried by the air currentsintoposition to be cut.

With the foregoing and-other-objects in view-whichwill appear as the-description proceeds, the invention resides "in the combination and arrangement of partsand in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, 'it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention= herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the-invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In saiddrawings :-Figu-re 1 is a plan view of the machine, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a section on line i k- 13 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the digger andthe adjacent portion of the conveyer. F ig. 5' is a plan view of the cutting blades. Fig. 6 is a section on line G--D Fig. 1, showing the position of the cutting -blades relative--to the conveyer. thereunder;

Referring to the figuresby characters of reference 1 designates a whack-supportedframe adapted-to be propelled byany-suit able power and mounted on this frame is aplatform 2 011 which a motor: 3 is arranged.-

The front or steering wheels 4 of the machin'e are provided with upwardly extend- ---1ng sp1n dles"-5 which are mounted to slide iipwardlyand downwardly Within the front end of the frame; each spindle being engaged b the-outer end of a lifting lever 6 mounte -on thefront end of the frame and extendingtransversely thereof, said lever beingfulcrumed at a'point between its ends "as indicatedat 7-; IA bracket 8 is mounted 'on thefrontportion of the machine and 'carriesaguide spool 9 over which extend =cables10 or the like.- These cables are connected to the inner ends of the levers 6 and --extend-u pwardlyfrom said ends over the spool-9'- a-nd-thence rearwardly to a lever 11 which-is fulcrumed on the platform 2 and-is providedwith any suitable means.

such as atoothed segment 12, for holding itto beandownwardly on the spindles 5 and causethe front endof the frame 1 to be elevated.---

Each spindle 5 is provided with a radially extending arm 13, the two arms being connected by across-bar 14 so that the spindles will be caused to operate together. Actuating cable's, chains or the like, indicated at 15, areconnected to the'arms 13 and extend up to and are wrapped about a steering post-16 extending upwardly and rearwardly upon the front portion of the machine, this "post-being designed to be rotated in any suitable manner, as by means of a hand wheel 17 or the'like. The rear supporting wheels 18 of the -machine are also provided with upwardly extending spindles 19 adapted to rotate-within the rear end portion of the frame 1, these spindles'being provided with -radially extending arms 20 connected by a bar 2-1 whereby*the two spindles will be caused-to rotate-together. Cables, chains, or other suitable flexible connections indicated-at 22 are secured to the arms20 and also to a'spool'23 secured to one end of an upwardly and-forwardly inclined post 24 having a handle wheel 25 or the like whereit can be rota-tedconveniently. Thus it 'will be seen that by manipulating the wheels 17 and 25 the machine can be quickly steered in any desired direction.

A draft bar--26 extends throughthe front end of the frame lat the center thereof and "ltuting means for digging the beets.

- beets to pass-therebetween. Mounted on the" terminates, at its rear end, in 'a downwardly 'extendingyoke 27, the two arms of the 'yoke being bowed so as to define almost a complete: circle.- Secured to the lower end of each arm of, the yoke is a plow- 28' constlikshort bracket 29 extends downwardly from the rear portion of the machine and is con- "nected to one of the arms of the yoke by means of guide rods 30 which diverge for- -wardly from the bracket 29 to one of the "arms of the yoke 27. These guide rods are so spaced as to permit dirt to fall freely between them without, however, permitting the 3 other arm of theyoke 27 is abracket3l on which spaced sprockets '32 are journaled.

. upwardly and rearwardly along parallel I [shaft 35which is inclined downwardly and laterally towardthe longitudinal centerf the machine and extends upwardly through I. the: platform 2 -g{Shaftw35- is 'arallel-with i the axis of thesprockets' 32 an thus it will be seen that theupper an'd lower flights of Each of these sprockets engages an endless chain 33 and the two chains are extended lines and engage sprockets 34 seouredto a the [chains 33"will *occupyl planes inclined ;close to but under, the rear portion of the cleats or brackets 36. l a The} upper end of shaft 35 is connected bya universalijoint137 toa transverse shaft 38 having, a-'-.sprocket- {39, thereon which re- .ceives motion, 'throu h achain 40, from a sprocket '41. driven y the motor 3. The

lower end of shaft 35 hasa gear 42-which extending transversely within the lower end. iof an upwardly and laterally inclined ele, vatorcasing 45L Mounted on'the shaft andmeshes with a gear 43 secured to a shaft 44 extending longitudinally within the casing --is all-elevator 46 the upper .end of which is adapted'to discharge into a hopper 47 supported,'as by means of standards '48, beyond i v .one side of the frame 1. The bottom of the hopper 47 is hingedly mounted, as indicated hinged bottom so that, by manipulating the at 49 and a rod 50 may be connected to this rod, the bottom can be, moved to open or closed osition. -In.this manner the. contents o the hopper can be dumped whenever desired. 7

v The motor 3 drives a sprocket 51 which transmits motion, through a chain 52, to a .;s'procket 53 secured on a transverse shaft 54. This shaft extends into a drum 55-.and

.secured to the shaft so as to rotate freely in the drum is a fan 56. Thefdrum' hasa 't-anv gential outlet spout '57 at the rear thereof and rom which material 'isadapted to be dis-f- 1 charged onto the ground or into any-suitable- ,1-1 receptacle provided thereforg .Onesidev of.

the drum 55 has an-air trunk 58'open'ing thereinto, this trunk being extended .tran'sversely over a portion of the platform :2 and formed in the-bottom of the-.t and rectly over the rear portion of the'trough formed by the rods 30 and the chains 33 1s an opening 59 in'the form of an elongated slot the back portion of which is enlarged,

as? shown at 60. Secured upon the bottomsg V of! the trunk so as to extend over the1'en- 3o fl1 larged portion 60 of the opening are cutting;

blades 61, 62 and 63. The blade 61 is ex tended diagonally across the front end..-por-l" tion of the enlarged portion 60 of the'op'en-i I ing and substantially at right angles'to; the

blade-62 which: is extended diagonally across the 'rearlof said enlarged portion the third blade63being. arranged with itscutting edge substantially longitudinally or the openingand. back of'blade 61 and to one side ofthe' blade 62; Thus a tortuous, or

zigzag; passage is fforfmed'between the blades 't e wallsofthej opening 59 and its -en-' 'j larged' portion '60, f Y

and

In using the apparatus the motor 3 will drive-the shafts 38 and 54 through the mechariism provided therefor so that the chains 33; will thus be. actuated, elevator 46 will be driven, and 'fanl-i56 will be revolved. The fan will create: a suction upwardly into its trunk 58 through the opening 5960. By

means of the chains or'cables 10 the front end portion of the frame 1 can be caused to moveupwardly ordownwardly on the spindles 5, thus'raising or lowering the plows 28 so} as to cause-them to dig to any desired depth. As the machine moves forward these plows will dig up the beets and said beets will be deposited onthe front end portions of; the rods 30' and of the'chains 33. The

bails or cleats on the'chains will engage the beets and drag them upwardly along the rods 30, these rods, by reason of their fric tional engagement with the beets, causing the beets to roll as they are moved upwardly.

Thus the dirt will bequickly loosened from the beets and will be discharged between the chains and between the rods. Furthermore the tops of the beets will be held extended upwardly. 'As each beet is brought into position under the opening 59, the air currents rushing through the opening and into'the trunk 58 will be sufficiently strong to suck the tops upwardly into the opening 59. As

the beets continue to move rearwardly the tops will be carried along the tortuous passage formed by the blades and said tops will thus be slid along the cutting edges of the blades and severed by the time the beetshaye completely passed the opening. The' I tops,-whensevered,=will besueked by' the an into the---'drum:-55* and them- -diiiicharged throughthe --outletspout= 57a; The 3beets,-- after passingthe opening- 55- 69 are -dis charged into the 'bottom 'end of'f the elevator casing wheretheyare ienga' etlby thee levw tor-46 and'conveyedupwar 1y to the'ho per 47. After a --desired-'mumber-of *beets alveaccumulated within the-hopper; t-he hingedbottom- ,of the-hopper can be openedandthe beets-"thus discharged --into any" suitable-rev ceptaele' iprovided-ithereforw Importance is -'-attaeh6d to the ==faot a thh'it the *rods 30' and the chains b33 together with v the bails 36 connectin the chains' cooperate not-only-to separate t e beets from the-dirt buta'ls'o to -roll=thebeets wvhilethey are asstops -are brought'into contactwith the blades 61, 62 and 63 and the accurate -and' complete severing of the-tops is therefore insured.

What is claimed is:

1.: :In; a machine .wfortopping -beets,- the. combination with a cutting element, and means for conveying beets past said element,- of pneumatic means for holding the tops of the beets against the cutting element to sever the tops during the movement of the beets past the element.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cutting element, and means for conveying beets past said element, of suction means for positioning the tops of the beets upon said cutting element and holding them in such position during the movement of the beets past the element.

3. In a beet topper the combination with severing means and means for conveying beets past the severing means, of pneumatic means for holding the tops of the beets against thesevering means during the movement of the beets.

4. In a beet topper the combination with severing means and means for conveying beets past and close to the severing means,

of pneumatic means for holding the tops against the severing means during such movement of the beets and for discharging the tops when severed.

5. In a beettopping machine the combina-- tion with beet conveying means, of severing devices disposed along a tortuous opening, and close to the conveyingmeans, and pneumatic means for sucking the beet tops into the opening and holding them uponthe severing means during the movement of the beets with the conveyer.

6. In a beet topper the combination with a conveyer, of severing devices disposed along a tortuous opening adjacent the conveyer, and pneumatic means for sucking the tops. of the beets into the opening and against the severing devices during the movement of the beets with the conveyor,

andfor dischargingthe severed tops from thama'chinea 7. A' beettopping;machine including a structure having an-opening therein, a severing de'vieeadjacent the opening, means for conveying beets past the opening, and pneumatio means -for-sucking the tops of beets "into the -opening--and against the severing :devdceeduringthe movement of thebeets past the opening.

5 8: 11'1 aabeettoppmg-machine the combination-rwith a-.;str,ucture having anopening therein of severing: devices disposed along the opening and cooperating with walls of the; -opening to- 'form i a tortuous passage,

means: for conveying-beets past the o ening,;

and pneumatic-meansfor-sucking t e tops otthmbeets-dntothe opening and torholdingthem against said severing devlces during-the movement ofthe beets past the openlngw I 9.--In'-a-b'e'et topping machine the combinationwith a structure having an opening therein ofyrsevering dev-ices disposed -adja-, cent the'opening, means for conveying beets past the opening, and pneumatic means for sucking the tops of the beets into the opening and holding them against the severing devices until the tops are removed during the movement of the beets past the opening, said pneumatic means constitutin means for discharging the severed tops rom the machine.

10. A machine for topping beets including a structure having an o ening therein, a severing device adjacent t e opening, means extending past and close to the opening for conveying and rolling beets past the opening, and means for sucking the tops of the beets through the opening and holdlng them against the sever ng device during such movement of the beets.

11. A machine for topping beets including a structure having an opening therein, cotiperating means extendin past the opening for conveying beets and or rolling them, and pneumatic means for sucking the tops of the beets through the opening, holding. the tops of the beets against the severing device during the movement of the beets past the opening, and discharging the severed tops from the machine.

12. In a machine for topping beets the cent. the" opening, co6perating fixed and movable means for. conveying beets past the opening and rolling them during such movement, pneumatic means for sucking the tops of the beets into theopening and for holding them against the severing device during such movement of the beets and for discharging the severed tops from the machine,

and means forfengaging and elevating the tops. a V

14, In' a machine of the-class described, the combination with digging means, of

downwardly,converging fixed and movable elements iconstitutin means for conveying beets from" the digging means and rolling them while being conveyed; a structure having an opening adjacent the path of movement of the beets, a severing device adjacent the opening, and pneumatic means for directing the tops into the opening and holding them against the severing device during .the movement-of the beets past the opening.

' 1 5. In a machine of the class described the combination with digging means, of

downwardly converging fixed and movable 25 elements constituting means for conveying beets from the digging means and rolling them while being conveyed, a structure having an opening adjacent the path of movement of the beets, a severing device adjacent 30 the opening, and pneumatic means for directing the tops into the opening and holding them against the severing device during the movement of the beets past the opening,

said pneumatic means also constituting 35 

